The Shan State Progress Party / Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) that has
just concluded its week long bi-annual meeting on Monday, 8 July, said
it would not be participating in the upcoming 2015 elections.

“It is up to the SNLD (Shan Nationalities League for Democracy led by
Hkun Htun Oo that won the most seats in Shan State in the 1990
elections) to decide,” said one of the SSPP senior members.

The SSPP, in 1995, had formed a Joint Action Committee (JAC) with the SNLD, with Hkun Htun Oo as its chairman.

Sai Nyunt Lwin aka Sai Nood, the SNLD deputy leader, said the party
still has yet to decide on the question. “Our biggest concern is the
amendment of the 2008 constitution,” he said. “Only through unity with
all the stakeholders, we will be able to accomplish the task. The
question whether or not we are going to the polls will be considered
only afterwards.”

The Restoration Council of Shan State / Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA)
leader Lt-Gen Yawdserk also told a recent meeting held on the border
that his mind was still on things other than setting up a political
party and registering it for the coming elections.

“One thing at a time,” he said. “Now is the time to think about
political negotiations, not about whether we should form a party or
not.”

All of them, especially the two SSAs, were responding to President
Thein Sein’s suggestion to the RCSS/SSA on 10 June, when he received the
visiting Yawdserk in Naypyitaw:

The elderly members should set up parties, enter elections and become government ministers, if elected

The middle age members should engage in business and support the movement from the proceeds

The young, if they choose, should continue to serve in the armed units

The president’s suggestion came from one of his 8-point guidelines
for union level negotiations. “The whole idea is not new,” said an SSA
officer. “It was contained in the Border Guard Force (BGF) proposal
presented to ceasefire groups in 2009.”

Both the RCSS/SSA and SSPP/SSA concluded ceasefire with Napyitaw on 2
December 2011 and 28 January 2012 respectively. Since the ceasefire,
each had already fought more than 100 clashes against the government
forces.